Circulated

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is experiencing the second-deadliest outbreak of Ebola in history, with the Ministry of Health reporting 368 deaths and at least 600 patients. The ministry also reported 29 people under observation, including an American medical provider who has returned to the United States. Ebola on average kills half of those infected, but the World Health Organization says the current outbreak has a fatality rate of around 60 percent. The province at the center of the outbreak is among the most populous in the nation with many armed groups at war. The UN public health agency says the more than 1 million refugees in the province could cause the Ebola outbreak to spread.

Found

Mexican archaeologists have discovered what they say is a whole temple dedicated to the pre-Hispanic god called the “Flayed Lord.” The Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History says archaeologists had previously found only depictions of the god. The archaeologists believe the Popoloca Indians built the temple in the present-day state of Puebla between A.D. 1000 and 1260 to honor Xipe Totec, a god of fertility. Experts found a stone torso in the temple, carved with an extra hand hanging off its arm. They believe this to be Xipe Totec wearing the skin of a sacrificial victim since the Popoloca worshipped the god by skinning humans and then dressing the priests in these skins.

Died

Nancy Roman, the first woman in a leadership position at NASA, died at age 93 on Dec. 26. Roman showed an early interest in astronomy, receiving a doctorate in the subject from the University of Chicago in 1949. A year after NASA’s founding, the agency recruited Roman to become its first chief of astronomy. During her years at NASA, she became known as the “Mother of Hubble” after her work to make the Hubble Space Telescope possible. Though Roman retired from NASA in 1979, she continued to consult on the Hubble project. In her later years, she also worked in an elementary school, teaching fifth-grade girls about astronomy.

Announced

The elders of Harvest Bible Chapel announced in mid-January that pastor James MacDonald would take an “indefinite sabbatical” from preaching and leadership while the Chicago megachurch works to reconcile with past critics. Earlier in the month MacDonald pulled his Walk in the Word program from radio and television while keeping it as a podcast, citing costs and changing demographics. The announcements follow recent criticism of the church’s financial and management practices (see “Hard times at Harvest,” Dec. 29, 2018).

Banned

A new law in California bans pet stores from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits unless they come from a rescue group or animal shelter. The law was intended to target breeding facilities such as puppy mills and kitten factories, often reported to subject animals to terrifying living conditions. The law carries a fine of $500 per animal if a seller is found in noncompliance. However, Californians can still buy directly from breeders. Other states appear to be considering following California’s lead, with lawmakers drafting similar measures in Washington state, New York, and New Jersey.

Denied

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that German parents Dirk and Petra Wunderlich do not have a right to homeschool their children. German law bans homeschooling, and police raided the Wunderlichs home in 2013 and demanded they send their children to state schools. The Wunderlichs’ lawyers indicated the couple was considering an appeal to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights.